Title I, Part A provides federal dollars for supplemental education opportunities for educationally and economically disadvantaged children who are most at-risk of failing to meet the State's challenging content and performance standards. Local education agencies (LEAs) decide on an annual basis which school will receive Title I school allotments. A school is considered a Title I school from July 1st of each fiscal year regardless of when the application for funds is approved by the State.

LEAs target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. Unless a participating school is operating a schoolwide program, the school must focus Title 1 services on children that are failing, or most at-risk of failing, to meet State standards. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from low-income families are eligible to use Title I funds for school-wide programs that serve all children in the school.